Local Crime Stoppers to launch fentanyl tip line

Agencies across the province step up efforts in fight against deadly opioids

A Crime Stoppers initiative aimed at getting fentanyl off the streets could soon be coming to the capital, as a deadly opioid crisis sweeps across the country.

Durham Regional Crime Stoppers launched its program Wednesday, offering a $1,000 cash reward to anyone whose tips directly result in the seizure of illegal fentanyl or its derivatives, or to the arrest of fentanyl traffickers.

Richard McMullen, president of the National Capital Crime Stoppers, confirmed a similar program will be unveiled in the coming days, with the local Crime Stoppers planning a rollout with law enforcement partners and other Crime Stoppers agencies across Eastern Ontario.

Durham Crime Stoppers will initially run its fentanyl tip line through the end of April, following initiatives in North Bay, where there was a similar campaign in late 2016, and Simcoe-Dufferin-Muskoka Crime Stoppers, currently in the midst of a two-month reward program for the Barrie area.

McMullen said that once the local Crime Stoppers initiative is launched, “We’d like to extend that timing and potentially offer a greater amount (in a cash reward).”

McMullen said the local agency will be coming out with more information in a matter of days.

According to OPP Sgt. Peter Leon, the Barrie Crime Stoppers initiative was launched partly in response to five fentanyl-related overdoses in Barrie in a single night in October. He said he expects other Crime Stoppers agencies will adopt similar strategies in the fight against fentanyl.

“I’ve been seeing an expansion of this idea happen and it’s very encouraging to provide this type of outlet for people who have information, because, ultimately, it’s about getting this drug off the street before any more loss of life takes place,” Leon said.

In Ottawa there have been a pair of high-profile overdose deaths publicized in recent weeks, Chloe Kotval and Teslin Russell.

McMullen said the local initiative is not in direct response to the recent opioid-linked overdoses in the Ottawa area, but rather to the larger issue of fentanyl and counterfeit opioids.

McMullen said National Capital Crime Stoppers has already had measurable success in taking drugs off the streets, saying “millions of dollars in street value” drugs have been seized from local Crime Stoppers tips. Anonymous tips to the local Crime Stoppers led police to seize more than $280,000 in narcotics in last year alone in Ottawa.

“It’s a pretty significant amount if you look back from 1985 to today,” said McMullen. “That’s a significant impact to the folks who are distributing and trafficking narcotics.”

McMullen said the majority of tipsters do not even claim their reward.

“For us, frankly, it’s not the tip that’s the big enticement, it’s (media attention) and awareness and raising the profile,” he said. “(Fentanyl) is a terrible drug and it’s made a significant impact on our local community, and it’s something we hope we can help curtail.”

Ultimately, it’s about getting this drug off the street before any more loss of life takes place.